[99]
Ambages is applied by Ov. M. 7.
761 to the riddle of the Sphinx, and is
more than once used by Tac. in speaking of
oracles: see Forc. ‘Remugit’ is explained
by ‘antro,’ the cave echoing the scarcely
human sounds (comp. 3. 92, where the
‘cortina’ is said ‘mugire’) which the
Sibyl utters.

[100]
‘Wrapping truth in mystery.’
Cerda comp. Eur. Or. 891, καλοῖςκακοὺςΛόγουςἑλίσσων, which Virg. may have
had in his mind, though the reading there
is not certain, Valckenaer conjecturing
καλῶς, which Porson adopts. ‘Ea’ has
the force of ‘adeo:’ see on E. 1. 54. The
reference is not, as Wagn. thinks, specially
to ‘obscurisverainvolvens,’ but generally
to the whole description of the Sibyl's
ecstasy, which is ascribed to the agency of Apollo.

[101]
‘Shakes the reins so as to make
her feel the bit (comp. Eur. Iph A. 151,
σεῖεχαλινούς), and plies the goad.’ We
need not supply ‘eos’ to ‘stimulos,’ as in
cases like this the construction of the
second clause is not always formally assimilated
to that of the first. See on G.
2. 208. “Stimulossubpectorevertit” 9.
718. ‘Vertit’ need merely indicate the
direction of the goad to the part wounded:
but it may also imply the continual change
of direction, the weapon being turned
hither and thither. The whole description
is simply one of prophetic excitement.
Apollo tames her and breaks her in (v. 79),
but he also lashes her to fury.

[102]
Aeneas waits for a calm, that she
may be able to listen to him. ‘Rabidaora’ v. 80.

[103]
Aeneas' meaning appears to be
not, as Heyne explains it, that he has
heard what is to happen to him from his
father or Helenus, but that he has prepared
himself for every possible form of
danger by his own reflections, so that the
passage is strictly parallel to Ter. Phorm.
2. 1. 11 foll., quoted by Cerda (see Mr.
Parry's note), and to Eur. Thes. fr. 392
Nauck, referred to by Cic. Tusc. 3. 14,
along with the passage from Ter.

[109]
Pal., Rom., and Gud. a m. p. have
‘contingam:’ but ‘contingo’ does not
seem to be used for ‘contingitmihi.’
There is no difficulty about ‘sacra,’ as the
infernal gods had their honours as well as
others. So “sacraeportae” v. 573 below.

[110]
Aeneas, in describing to Dido what
actually happened, does not dwell on the
fire and the enemy (comp. 2. 725 foll.,
where we hear of alarm rather than of
real danger): but we have a similar image
when he speaks of his journey from Priam's
palace to his own home, 2. 632.

[112]
“Mariaomniavecti” 1. 524, the
usual way in which the Trojans speak of
their wanderings. ‘Maria’ is connected
with ‘ferebat’ by a kind of zeugma.
There is however nothing tautologous in
‘pelagiminas’ after ‘maria,’ as the sense
is that he sailed on every sea and bore all
the dangers of wind and wave.

[116]
Dabat seems to show that the
injunction was given more than once, so
that we must suppose the reference to be
not to Anchises' appearance 5. 731 foll.,
but to directions given while he was alive.
The father might naturally advise his son
to consult the Sibyl about the future, as
Helenus does 3. 441 foll., quite irrespectively
of his own death or life. ‘Natiquepatrisque’ 4. 605.

[118]
Nec—nequiquam as in G. 1. 96.,
4. 38. ‘The promotion you have received
from Hecate is no empty honour.’ The
Sibyl was priestess of Diana, who is called
Hecate in her functions in the world below,
4. 511. note. ‘Lucis’ is explained by vv.
131, 138, 238 &c. below. ‘Avernis’ adj.,
as in G. 4. 493.

[119]
Sipotuit has been variously
taken as an unfinished sentence, as a protasis
to ‘etmigenusabIovesummo’ v.
123, and as following ‘natiquepatrisquemiserere’ v. 117. The first explanation is
perhaps nearest the truth; but the sentence
does not strike us as unfinished, for
the appeal which really forms the apodosis
is implicitly contained in the context. ‘If
others have been able to obtain this favour,
why should not I, whose claims are as
great?’ The story is of course that told
at the end of Georgic 4. Med., Rom., and
Gud. a m. p. have ‘accersere:’ see the
lexicons.

[121]
The story was that Pollux was
allowed to impart his immortality to Castor
and share his brother's mortality in return,
the two dying according to one account on
alternate days, according to another for
alternate periods of six months. In Hom.
(Il. 3. 243) both are mortal.

[122]
Ireviam 4. 468. Gell. 10. 16
tells us that Hyginus censured Virg. for
introducing Theseus, who was detained in
the shades, as we shall see below v. 618.
Serv. meets the objection in a good note:
“Durumexemplum. Undenecimmoratusestineo. Dicitauteminferosdeberepaterepietati, quipatueruntinfandacupienti:”
and Heyne remarks that the
point of the appeal lies simply in the fact
that Theseus was one of those who were
allowed to go down to the shades alive.
Theseus and Hercules are referred to below
v. 392. It is difficult to say whether
‘magnum’ belongs to ‘Thesea,’ as Wagn.
thinks, following the old editors, or to
‘Alciden,’ as Heins. and Heyne take it.
There is more point in giving the epithet
to the person named last: Hercules, who
returned in triumph, seems to deserve it
better than Theseus, who was kept below:
and the epithet is bestowed on Hercules
elsewhere in Virg., 5. 414, “magnumAlciden,”
8. 103, “Amphitryoniadaemagno.”
On the other hand ‘Theseamagnum’ is
supported by “Cisseadurum,” which ends
a verse similarly 10. 317; and we must
remember that in an ancient poet punctuation
is regulated rather by the ear than
by the eye. On the whole then it seems
safest to follow Wagn.

[124-155]
‘The Sibyl tells him in reply
that for a living man to go down to the
shades and return is difficult, but that it
may be done by those who succeed in
plucking a golden branch from a tree in
the neighbouring forest, to be presented
as an offering to Proserpine. Meantime
she informs him that one of his comrades
is lying unburied, and bids him look to the
funeral.’

John Conington. P. Vergili Maronis opera. P. Vergili Maronis Opera. The works of Virgil, with a Commentary by John Conington, M.A. Late Corpus Professor of Latin in the University of Oxford. London. Whittaker and Co., Ave Maria Lane. 1876.

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